Hair Replacement Success Rates

There are nearly 35 million men living in the United States who are affected by their loss of hair. Thinning hair is usually not noticed until 50% or more loss has occurred in one area and this does vary from person to person. Hair loss can be seen as a negative part of someone’s life and may also affect one’s confidence and lifestyle.

Nearly 50% of women and 70% of men will experience some type of hair loss in their life. For men, hair loss may be seen as unattractiveness, a sign of aging or infertility. Causes can be from many different factors, mainly from genes, age and hormones. Even though, these signs may not be true, studies show that hair loss causes low confidence and low self-esteem in men.

Fortunately, for someone suffering from hair loss, there are options available to stop hair loss and also replace hair that has fallen out. Both men and women want to appear at their best, and certainly they do not want to have their hair fall out. Hair replacement (or hair transplantation) surgery is now the most popular procedure for men who are losing their hair.

Hair replacement is minor outpatient surgery that removes hair follicles from a donor site and replaces them into the balding area. The donor site is often the side or back of the scalp. Local anesthesia is given to the patient for the procedure to relieve any type of discomfort that may be experienced.

Recent advances in hair replacement techniques have provided better outcomes in the surgery for patients suffering from hair loss. Because of these advances, the operation is now less painful and less complicated.
Hair replacement generally has a success rate of 96-98% as long as there is enough donor hair, the donor tissue is taken good care of and reinserted within three or four hours of removal. The procedure does not come with any major or long term side effects. Infection and swelling can be possibly prevented if the medication provided after the surgery is taken properly. Within six months, the replaced hair is able to groomed and combed in any fashion.

A hair replacement procedure usually lasts between three and five hours, all depending on how much hair is replaced. There will be a small scar at the donor area that can easily be covered up by the surrounding hair. Patients typically feel very little or no pain at all and can go back to work the next day.

Additional care is not needed for the transplanted hair and can be taken care just like ordinary hair. The hair that is transplanted will begin to grow within three to six months and will have the same color, texture, strength, length and life span as the hair at the donor area.